Mary Allen
Pet owners, especially in summer, should make sure their dog or cat is drinking enough, but excessive drinking of water is a clear warning signal.
“My pet drinks so much – is it still okay?” Veterinarians love this question. However, the term “so much” is very vague — many pet owners rely on subjective observation. However, it is important to understand exactly how much a dog or cat drinks per day.
Measure Exactly How Much Your Pet Drinks Per Day
Doctors recommend using a measuring glass to fill the bowl with the correct amount of water in the morning. The next time you fill, you will be able to measure how much water is left and calculate the difference.
In addition, there is a liquid that your pet swallows with food. Wet food is 80% liquid. With a 400 gram can, your pet will receive an additional 320 milliliters of water. Of course, this is not the case with clean dry food.
Also important: on the day you test your pet’s drinking behavior, he should not drink from puddles or streams. You are unlikely to be able to control this with cats that are mostly outdoors, so your street cat should stay in the apartment for that day if possible.
Rule of Thumb for Your Pet’s Water Needs
You can easily calculate how much water your dog or cat should consume per day. Rule of thumb: 100 milliliters of water per pound of body weight. So if your pet weighs ten kilograms, he doesn’t need more than a liter of water in 24 hours. However, this only applies to normal temperature and average activity.
If you now find that your pet is drinking more water, you should take him to the vet. With these tips, you can tell exactly how much water your animal is drinking.
Because if your dog or cat is consuming an unusually large amount of water, it could indicate illness.
Pet Drinks Too Much: Risk of Water Poisoning
And: if your dog drinks a lot in a short period of time – for example, swimming in a lake – there is a risk of water poisoning. Because too much fluid disturbs the electrolyte balance: the composition of water, salts, and minerals in the cells of the dog’s body is no longer correct, and body functions are impaired. This is indicated by the first symptoms such as vomiting, dizziness, and loss of appetite. In the worst case, water poisoning can even be fatal.